CHICAGO - (December 15, 2025)
Respected real estate executive played pivotal role in most recent chapter of Draper and Kramer’s 130-plus-year history
Draper and Kramer, Incorporated, a national full-service real estate firm, announces Edward Polich, executive vice president of real estate and a respected 43-year industry veteran, will retire at the end of 2025. Polich spent nearly two decades of his career with Draper and Kramer, including the last 11 years during which he served as chief development officer from 2014 to 2019 before being promoted to his current role. He was also a vice president with Draper and Kramer for almost nine years during the 1980s.
“When we think about the 132-year history of Draper and Kramer, there are certain people along the way who have left an indelible mark on this firm’s legacy — and Ed is definitely one of them,” said Roger Pollak, board chairman for Chicago-based Draper and Kramer. “During his time with Draper and Kramer, he has not only played a part in many of our most notable projects, but he’s also shaped many of our business practices and ensured we are positioned for success for years to come. We wish him well in retirement, and thank him for his creative leadership and many years of service, not only to Draper and Kramer but also to this industry overall.”
In his most recent tenure with Draper and Kramer, Polich had a significant role in formulating and adopting a new strategic plan that moved the firm to an open-ended fund model that streamlined its investment approach and allowed more flexibility to respond to market conditions and opportunities. As executive vice president of real estate, he also chaired the firm’s investment committee, leading the evaluation of potential transactions to ensure alignment with the company’s strategic direction. Notable multifamily investments under Polich’s guidance included deals that expanded Draper and Kramer’s portfolio into additional target regions, including metro markets in Arizona, Colorado and Texas.
As chief development officer, Polich led multiple Draper and Kramer new-construction multifamily projects including 61 Banks Street, Aspire Residences and Wrigleyville Lofts in Chicago; Moda at The Hill, a major neighborhood redevelopment in St. Louis; and Tempo Nine Mile Station in Aurora, Colorado.
“Ed is a lifelong Chicagoan who appreciates Draper and Kramer’s local roots and shares the same love for this city that this company was built on,” said Todd Bancroft, president and CEO of Draper and Kramer. “In Draper and Kramer’s latest chapter, we’ve maintained that positive outlook for Chicago and continued to invest here, while also bringing our expertise in development, ownership and management to new markets –- and Ed has been integral to that growth.”
Polich first entered the commercial real estate industry in 1982 as a board-elected vice president with Draper and Kramer, acting as development manager on a wide range of product types on behalf of a number of ownership entities and in both urban and suburban locations across the U.S.
Over the course of his career, Polich also held senior executive positions with national real estate developer LCOR Incorporated, participating in the development of commercial office, senior housing and multifamily residential projects in the Midwest.
Polich also co-founded Waveland Partners LLC, a real estate asset creation and management firm specializing in asset management services for family offices and high-net-worth individuals.
Polich, who began his career as an architect with Perkins + Will, holds a degree in architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT). While completing his architectural studies, Polich was also a member of the IIT Stuart School of Business MBA program.
Earlier this year, Polich was awarded a position as a visiting scholar at the American Academy in Rome, where he has been furthering his life-long interest in ancient studies.
A native Chicagoan and North Side resident, Polich has been a member of many local community organizations. Among his philanthropic activities, he serves on the boards of directors of Claretian Associates, Lambda Alpha International Chicago, The Near South Planning Board and IIT’s College of Architecture Board of Advisors, and is also Chairman of the Mies van der Rohe Society.
About Draper and Kramer, Incorporated
Founded in 1893, Draper and Kramer, Incorporated is a trusted financial and property services provider with a deep commitment to people, excellence, service and integrity spanning more than 130 years. Family-owned and one of the leading privately held real estate services firms in the U.S., Draper and Kramer is headquartered in Chicago with a national reach and broad offering of services. The company’s decades-long heritage has evolved over the years and today spans expertise in residential and commercial development, acquisition, property management and leasing; and debt and equity financing for commercial properties. Draper and Kramer provides a single source of real estate-related counsel to a diverse group of real estate investors across the U.S., including corporations; private and institutional owners and users of real estate; government agencies; and foundations. For more information, visit www.draperandkramer.com.
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Editors:
For more information, contact Sarah Lyons, [email protected], (312) 267-4520.
